THE UNIVERSE OF WAKAYAMA ―The Spiritual Heart of Japan―

The Kumano pilgrimage mandalas are religious paintings that richly depict the landscapes and narratives of the sacred land of Kumano, encapsulating its worldview. Kumano bhikkhuni (itinerant nuns) traveled across the country, interpreting and narrating the Kumano Nachi Pilgrimage Mandala and the Kumano Kanshin Jikkai Mandala, encouraging people from all over Japan to embark on pilgrimages to the sacred sites of Kumano.

Additionally, engi (origin legends) are sacred texts that describe the history of temple and shrine establishments, as well as the miraculous deeds of deities and Buddhas. These texts served as mystical tools, preserving secret tales about deities and Buddhas. When these engi were accompanied by illustrations and compiled into scrolls, they became engi emaki illustrated narrative scrolls.

Source: Wakayama Prefectural Museum "Sacred Pilgrimage: Kumano and Koya" and "The World of Kii Province's Engi Emaki Illustrated Narrative Scrolls"(External Link)

In Kumano, deities were enshrined in places closely connected to nature. Since ancient times, people have likely felt the presence of the sacred in its magnificent landscapes.

By the late Heian period (794 to 1185) around the 11th century, Hongu, Shingu, and Nachisan came to be recognized collectively as the Three Grand Shrines of Kumano (Kumano Sanzan). Each of these sites became dedicated to the Kumano Junisho Gongen (Twelve Kumano Deities) and was revered as a place of deep faith. Each of these deities was also associated with a Buddhist counterpart (honjibutsu) – Hongu was linked to Amida Nyorai (Amitabha Buddha), Shingu to Yakushi Nyorai (Medicine Buddha), and Nachi to Senju Kannon (Thousand-Armed Kannon), with each site considered a Pure Land of its respective deity.

People worshipped the deities and Buddhas as inseparable entities, embracing both within their faith. The deities and Buddhas of Kumano were also depicted in various forms, including mandalas and sculptures.

Source: Wakayama Prefectural Museum "Sacred Pilgrimage: Kumano and Koya"(External Link)

Wakanoura, the sacred land of waka poetry, was immortalized in verse by the Man'yoshu poet Yamabe no Akahito, who wrote: "At Wakanoura, when the tide rises, the lagoon disappears, and cranes cry as they fly over the reeds."

The breathtaking scenery of Wakanoura, where nature and culture exist in harmony, begins with waka poetry, which can be said to be the foundation of Japanese spiritual culture. Throughout history, it has captivated people and fostered various forms of art. To the east of the tidal flats, on the mid-slope of Nagusayama, stands Kimiidera, the second temple of the thirty-three temples in the Saikoku Kannon Pilgrimage.

During the Edo period (1603 to 1868), the Kishu Tokugawa clan, one of the three Tokugawa branches second in status only to the shogunate, ruled over the Kishu Domain. The scenic beauty of Wakanoura enchanted even generations of Kishu lords.

The Kishu Tokugawa clan, one of the three Tokugawa branches ranked second only to the shogunate, became the rulers of the Kishu Domain, and the breathtaking scenery of Wakanoura also captivated generations of domain lords.

Source: Japan Heritage, "Wakanoura Bay ~ A Treasure House of Scenic Beauty ~"(External Link)

Reference: Japan Heritage, "A 1,300-year-old Journey to the Soul / Saigoku Kannon Pilgrimage"(External Link)

The story of Anchin and Kiyohime, known as the "Dojoji-mono" in kabuki and Noh theater, is set at Dojoji Temple in Hidakagawa Town, which serves as the backdrop for its dramatic climax. The Dojoji engi emaki illustrated narrative scroll, created in the Muromachi period (1336 to 1573), is also housed at the temple. Many legendary sites related to Kiyohime remain in the area around Nakaheji-cho in Tanabe City, including the supposed site of her family home and Kiyohime's grave.Source: Wakayama Rekishi Monogatari Historical Tales, Story 042 and Story 053(External Link)

Minakata Kumagusu was a towering figure in natural history from Wakayama Prefecture (April 15, 1867–December 29, 1941).

His research spanned a wide range of fields, from biology, including the study of slime molds, to the humanities. In folklore studies, he played a pivotal role alongside Yanagita Kunio. A lifelong independent scholar, he also dedicated himself to local environmental conservation and earned recognition as a pioneering ecologist.

Source: Minakata Kumagusu Museum website(External Link)